2008 Ford Focus Sync Review

What would you pay to have the coolest car on your block? A car with the
best hands-free Bluetooth speakerphone and the best text-to-speech system
for reading all those hundreds of messages from your thumb-pounding
friends. How about owning a car where you could have an intimate
conversation with your iPod—or other music player—like
“Play me those hot new Fergie songs,” or “What have I got
by Kanye West?,” even “I want to hear Rockstar” and like
magic the music would explode from four coaxial speakers and 8-inch
subwoofer?

That technology—Sync—is only available on the 2008 Ford
Focus and it really does cost a mere $395 if it’s an option. Sync is
standard on Focus SES models. Ford co-developed Sync with Microsoft and you
can only get it from Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury through 2008. So skip to the
end if you are only interested in the uber-cool Sync technology, not in
cool cars.

Ford’s entry-priced Focus offers three 2008 models, S, SE, and
SES. S Coupes start at $14,664, an S four-door at $14,995, and either price
includes destination charges. For 2008, Focus is totally restyled inside
and out, and the body structure is revised for better stiffness.
You’ll immediately notice a strong family resemblance to the larger
Fusion. Focus’ two-bar chrome grille (there wasn’t enough room
for three) and wide wrap-around headlamps are nearly clones of Fusion. The
body sides are different; Focus sweeps from a large bright
“arrowhead” back to the rear tail lamp. Its tail lamp is
suspiciously Fusion or Escape-like.

From the rear, Focus has a wider appearance compared to the tall and
boxy predecessors. That’s a styling trick that pulls the trunk lid up
to the rear window and uses strong horizontal lines to emphasize width.
Some SES models are spoiler equipped and have both a sexier butt and better
aerodynamics.

Inside, many models have white-faced instruments on an inclusively new
instrument panel. For the first time, Focus has a display atop the center
stack to report information like time, text message replies (with Sync,) CD
info, and audio source. Center stacks, regardless of model, are very cool,
with controls and buttons poking through a smooth façade. It’s rather
more like an Audi than an older Ford. Upscale models have a bright metallic
panel across the dash and down the center stack. Did I say “like an
Audi?” And if you pop for a few extra bucks, you can select one of
seven colors in an LED lighting package to make your cupholders and
footwell all nice and orange-red-green-blue-purple and more.

As to what is more important in a new car, engine, safety, or driving
dynamics, lets pick the safety aspect first. Standard Focus safety
equipment now includes side air bags, side air curtains and tire pressure
monitoring system. At the front, new aluminum calipers are fitted to
10.9” ventilated discs brakes. You also get a 3.5 mm audio input
jack, tilt steering wheel and air conditioning and you can order SIRIUS®
Satellite Radio.

Focus offers only four cylinder engines. They have adequate spunk, but
won’t get anyone into drag race heaven. The standard Duratec 20
engine uses an electronic throttle for better shift feel and better engine
response. Because the air intake and cooling system are change it now pumps
out 140 horsepower and 136 lb-ft of torque. In the some states, a Duratec
20E qualifies as PZEV and produces 132 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque.
Transmissions are either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic; both with
revised final drive ratios. EPA figures are 24 city and 35 highway under
the new, more realistic EPA guidelines.

Focus has always been fun to drive. It’s not a sport car or sport
sedan, neither is it boring to drive. The new Focus is incrementally better
as the body and chassis have been strengthened and stiffened. That allowed
the chassis to be totally retuned with different springs, dampers, jounce
bumpers, and bushings. The goal of more comfort without losing sporting
character was met. Interestingly, the new vehicle is approximately 100
pounds lighter. It’s a car you can drive just about as hard as the
engine will allow and feel comfortably in control. Ford says a hatchback
and SVT performance variants are future possibilities and that the decision
to exclude a hatchback in the initial launch was because less than 15% of
buyers plunk down the bucks for that (IMO) best of all body styles.

One thing Ford isn’t emphasizing as much as it should is how quiet
Focus is (actually, all recent Ford vehicles.) They have a quietness that
only a few years ago we associated with Lexus and Mercedes — no
kidding. Driving 2007 and 2008 Focus’ back-to-back, it took less than
a mile to notice how greatly its quietness had improved.

There are numbers to substantiate this observation; overall road noise
drops from 70 dba to 67.3 according to Ford. That’s about half as
loud. Part of that is due to thicker side glass (3.2 mm vs. 3.8 mm) and
luxury-class acoustic windscreen glass. Behind the dashboard, closed-cell
foam absorbs sound energy, as does acoustic batting added to door trim
panels, C-pillars, and beneath the behind-seat shelf. What that means for
you is that at 70+ mph with the optional moonroof open you can easily chat
with your passenger. Ford is bold enough to claim it is now the segment
leader in NVH, road noise, and among best in class in wind noise.

Another interesting comparison with its rivals like Corolla and Civic
shows that Focus has more useable trunk space (unless you get the
subwoofer.) In a demonstration, the Focus easily swallowed two big hard
side suitcases and two medium sized; its competitors could not fit more
than three. This is because Focus’ rear suspension does not intrude
into the space. If you need storage, do take time to look into the
trunk.

If you have patiently waited for the techno-news about Ford’s
Sync, the technology it developed with Microsoft and based on Windows CE. I
have to say, Sync is stunningly useful technology for anyone who spends
more than five minutes a day driving and I can’t wait for it to be
available in the aftermarket for our current family cars. Today
you’ll have to buy a 2008 Ford Focus, but in a few months there will
be eleven other Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury models featuring Sync.

Why is Sync so great? Besides teens reading their text messages, and
making replies without taking hands off the wheel, or Blackberry-tethered
executives receiving corporate texts messages on the fly, or simply
answering and making mobile calls without even a Bluetooth headset, Sync
offers the opportunity to use commute time in novel ways.

With today’s technology you must drag along audio CDs and rely on
PBS or satellite radio subscriptions for anything other than music and
really basic news. With Sync—assuming basic computer literacy and the
ability to use iTunes or similar content aggregators—you can load
your music player (iPod, Zune, any Plays For Sure device,) a USB memory
stick, or even your mobile phone’s extended memory with the latest
podcasts and listen on the way to work.

Sync can recognize up to 20 different mobile phones and remembers all of
your stored contacts for voice dialing, even your recently called numbers.
While Sync will dial out on the “master” mobile, it can allow
any “paired/bonded” phone to receive calls hands-free.

Text messages can be received, and are translated into spoken messages,
even shorthand and emoticons. Focus limited display requires that
hands-free replies are limited to 15 simple stored replies and that you are
stopped or moving at less than 5 mph. Later models that use navigation
systems will permit different options. For complete instructions, and some
really cheesy corporate video, www.syncmyride.com will demonstrate
it all.

Audio content gets into the system via a USB connection or it can be
streamed via Bluetooth. Only Sync offers total voice command over every
iPod function: playlist, genre, artist, album, song. Thus I could say
“play:song:Ramalama (Bang Bang)” and have Roisin Murphy sing.
And I did it from my iPod and from a USB stick I’d loaded.

Think of it. You could refresh your Spanish with lessons ripped from a
CD, get gardening tips and overnight European news Podcasts, or what even
audio of missed The Daily Show episodes. What is so totally cool is you can
(with Sync) increase your skills in almost any profession or hobby just by
saying “Play: Track: podcast: Science Friday. How cool—and
terrifically useful—is that?

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